(New York) Without having to play at her best, Ons Jabeur qualified for a second straight Grand Slam final thanks to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over France’s Caroline Garcia, Thursday evening, in the semi-finals of the United States Open tennis tournament.
Updated yesterday at 11:24 p.m.
Fifth seed, the 28-year-old Tunisian lost in the final of the Wimbledon tournament in July. Now she will become the first African to play in the U.S. Open final since the start of the professional era, which began in 1968.
After Wimbledon, [il y a eu] a lot of pressure on me […]. And I’m really relieved to be able to back up my results. […]. And I’m here to get the title.
Ons Jabeur
On Saturday, Jabeur will try to win a first major title against the favorite, the Polish Iga Świątek, who defeated the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in three sets of 3-6, 6-1 and 6-4.
Jabeur improved to 6-0 in semi-finals this season and signed his 92e victory since the start of 2021, a high on the WTA Tour.
Two months ago, she became the first African and the first player of Arab origin to qualify for the Wimbledon final, where she lost to Elena Rybakina.
PHOTO MATT ROURKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ons Jabeur, after his victory in the semi-finals at the United States Open
Jabeur, who dropped to her knees and gave a shout of joy at the end of her match against Garcia, will now have another chance to win a trophy.
PHOTO DANIELLE PARHIZKARAN, USA TODAY SPORTS
Iga Świątek
A two-time Roland-Garros champion, Świątek had not yet passed the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.
Against sixth-seeded Sabalenka, she had a 7-5 advantage in the playoffs.
PHOTO JOHN MINCHILLO, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Iga Świątek, after her victory against Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka committed seven double faults, including one in the last game of the match. Then a smash from the Polish made it 0-40. Sabalenka closed the gap with a volley, but then sent a backhand into the net.
In 24C temperatures and under the floodlights at Arthur-Ashe Stadium, Jabeur didn’t have to show her full potential, but she was still pretty good. She only took 66 minutes to take the measure of her opponent.
PHOTO CHARLES KRUPA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ons Jabeur, serving against Caroline Garcia
She finished the duel with 21 winners – one of which came after a lucky leap over the top of the net – and committed only 15 unforced errors. She also had eight aces and four breaks in four attempts without having to face a single one.
When Jabeur made one of his breaks to give himself a 3-1 lead in the second set, after just 40 minutes of play, the victory was not yet in the bag, but it was just like.
A break from the start
After a moment of silence to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Garcia won the toss and opted to serve, a logical move considering she leads the WTA in aces in 2022. .
PHOTO FRANK FRANKLIN II, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The French Caroline Garcia, who notably fell the Canadian Bianca Andreescu, was crushed by Ons Jabeur.
However, the 28-year-old Frenchwoman was immediately the victim of a broken service following four all different errors: a forehand in the net, a forehand outside the sideline, a backhand too long and a volley that looked easy, but she sent it under the net.
It was a rather unfortunate and shaky start for Garcia (17e), who came to the court with a 13-game winning streak, the longest of her career. Moreover, she had not conceded a set at Flushing Meadows, en route to her first career semi-final at a Grand Slam tournament.
However, Garcia never showed the confident and incisive offensive game that helped her beat American Coco Gauff on Tuesday night, and that she has displayed since the start of June, when she won 31 matches and three tournaments.
Of the first 18 points Jabeur scored, 12 were the result of unforced errors by Garcia. This trend would continue.
“Mentally, said Jabeur, I was so ready. »
With Agence France-Presse